Senior Associate Vice President for Strategic Marketing and Communications

California State Polytechnic University, Pomona (Cal Poly Pomona) welcomes applications and nominations for the position of Senior Associate Vice President for Strategic Marketing & Communications (SAVP). The university’s next leader of marketing and communications will join Cal Poly Pomona at an exciting time, as a new president – Vanya Quiñones – takes office and brings new energy and vision to an already dynamic campus. The SAVP also has the opportunity to draw on the recent external assessment of marketing and communications resources and services in coming up to speed on current state and developing their vision for CPP’s priorities going forward.

The SAVP serves as the university’s chief communications leader and brand strategist with responsibility for overall communications, marketing and branding activity for Cal Poly Pomona across all media platforms. The SAVP ensures a clear, consistent and coordinated brand narrative that advances Cal Poly Pomona’s mission of student success and polytechnic excellence to the campus community and external audiences. The SAVP leads the development and implementation of Cal Poly Pomona’s brand vision, marketing strategy and public relations campaigns to attract students, engage alumni and donors, recruit high quality faculty and staff, and demonstrate Cal Poly Pomona’s impact in the region, state and nationally. The SAVP serves as the university spokesperson.

In addition to leading the University’s central team of marketing and communications professionals, the SAVP provides strategic direction and coordinates marketing and communications produced by other academic and administrative units across the university as well as by three auxiliary organizations: Cal Poly Pomona Enterprises, which manages housing, dining, transportation and parking, and real estate; Associated Students, Incorporated, which houses student government, recreation and fitness, the Bronco Student Center, and other student-facing services; and the Foundation. As a senior staff leader of one of the 22 campuses of the California State University System, the SAVP and their team coordinate periodically with counterparts in the CSU Office of the Chancellor.

The SAVP will be an experienced leader with a minimum of seven years of progressively responsible related experience in complex marketing and communications environments. They will have demonstrated experience in crisis management and service as institutional spokesperson, with a strong record of effectively leading diverse, creative and professional teams. Advanced proficiency in strategic storytelling across print, digital and social platforms is expected, as is the ability to lead through influence as well as through positional authority in a complex, multi-constituent environment. A bachelor’s degree is required; a master's degree or MBA with a concentration in marketing or related discipline is preferred, as is management level experience in higher education.

The full position description can be viewed here.